Self-inflating pneumatic unit for naval salvage operations



Dec. 25, 1962 TEsvTA 3,070,059

SELF-INFLATING PNEUMATIC UNIT FOR NAVAL SALVAGE OPERATIONS A R5-7EY W 4 \l mmmm mm M, w Q Q 0 Qkm 1 yfi m w mmwww United States Patent ()fifice 3,070,059 Patented Dec. 25, 1962 3,070,059 SELF-INFLATING PNEUMATIC UNIT FOR NAVAL SALVAGE OPERATIONS Aldo Testa, Viale F. Testi, 86, Milan, Italy Filed Aug. 6, 1958, Ser. No. 753,527 Claims priority, application Italy Aug. 12, 1957 4 Claims. (Cl. lid-54) The present invention relates to a self-inflating pneumatic unit.

A plurality of such units may be used to increase the buoyancy of floating crafts, or to increase the safety of a damaged ship or to salvage sunken ships or other submerged objects. At present the salvage of sunken ships is based on complicated and expensive systems, and when the wreck is lying below a certain depth, it cannot be recovered. The present invention is particularly useful in this field of application.

A plurality of pneumatic units according to the present invention may also be used to form a barricade to prevent air or noxious gas flows for instance in case of fires in mines.

The pneumatic unit according to the present invention is constituted by a small bag of an airtight material, provided with a small pipe, with a weighted sleeve at its end, and containing a chemical element or compound (gaseous, under normal conditions) in the liquid or solid state.

A particular form of the present invention will be described in detail for an illustrative and non-limiting purpose, in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan View of a pneumatic unit according to the present invention, the container being partly broken away to show a small mass of solid carbon dioxide therein;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view to an enlarged scale of the lower end only of the pneumatic unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section of the parts shown in H6. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional View showing how the pneumatic units according to the present invention may be arranged within a submerged body to be raised.

The pneumatic unit according to the present invention is constituted by a small bag 1 made of polyethylene or other airtight material. This bag may have a form as shown in the drawing, or it may be of quadrangular, preferably a rhomboidal, or other polygonal shape.

The bag 1 is provided with a pipe 2., as Shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, preferably of plastic material, internally fiitted over a part of its length, with a metallic helix 3 serving to prevent crushing. Pipe 2 has its upper end secured to bag 1 as by cord or wire 1a and its lower end fitted with a sleeve 4 of a relatively heavy material.

A quantity of solid carbon dioxide or Dry Ice is introduced into the bag. The amount of Dry Ice thus introduced into each bag is such that, when evaporated, the bag is not fully inflated and will readily conform to any irregular shapes or surfaces against which it presses.

Obviously it is possible to use any other element or compound (gaseous under normal conditions) after having brought it to a solid or liquid state. The invention operates as follows:

When a small bag, with solid carbon dioxide filling, is placed in a cavity of a submerged body, due to the particular temperature and pressure conditions prevailing therein, the carbon dioxide passes into the gaseous state with a remarkable increase of volume, whereby the water that previously filled that space is displaced. Since the specific gravity of the carbon dioxide is much less than that of the water, the bag will have a tendency to ascend and will thus impart a remarkable buoyancy.

When a number of these bags, each with its charge of solid carbon dioxide, or like substance, is introduced into a chamber of a submerged object, as shown in FIG- URE 4, they become inflated and conform to the shape of the walls of such chamber, so that the buoyancy exerted by them is substantially uniformly distributed thereover.

The carbon dioxide is maintained as long as possible in the solid state by any actually known system, and the gas that will notwithstanding develop will be expelled through the small pipe 2.

The way in which the small bags are brought to the site of application is very important. The small bags 1 are stacked in packs and are brought to the site by a diver, with the exposed end of each pipe directed upwardly so that any gas forming in the bags may escape. Once the bags I have been brought to position, they are turned upside down, with the small pipe 2 directed downwardly, whereupon they start to inflate. Inversion of 'the bags is effected automatically through the action of the weighted sleeve 4.

The length of the pipe 2 is chosen in relation to the strength of the bag and the gas will escape from the bag when the internal pressure therein is equal to or higher than the pressure of the water at the level corresponding to sleeve 4 of the pipe.

When the object to be recovered rises to the surface, the water pressure grows gradually smaller, but the'excess or over-pressure inside the small bags causes the gas to escape therefrom and prevents them from bursting.

When the Wreck lies at such a depth that it is impossible to reach it, or is in such a position that it is im possible to get in its inside, the small bags can be closed in a projectile and shot in the inside of the derelict, and after they inflate their own surface will plug and close the leak which had formed.

Obviously variations and modifications are possible of the system as described in detail herein, both in the way of embodiment of the single bags, and in the way of their grouping in packs, and in their use, all without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Although the invention forming the subject of this application has been described in connection with the salvage of sunken vessels and objects, it obviously has numerous other uses. For example, it is useful as a buoy or marker for fishing boats, regattas and other water events, Where it can be temporarily anchored in place to float upon the surface and easily destroyed and sunk after it has served its temporary purpose. It is also useful as a surface marker in determining the direction of current flow. Other uses will readily occur to those skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

l. A device for raising a hollow object to the surface from a position submerged within a body of water, a bag of flexible gas-and-water-tight material sealed at its upper end, a straight open-end rigid tube, means securing the lower end of said bag in gas-tight relation gathered about the upper end of said tube, the lower end of said tube depending from said bag, a Weighted sleeve secured about the lower end of said tube to hold the device erect in water when said bag is inflated, and a quantity of solid carbon dioxide confined within said bag 2. In an aquatic buoyance device for raising to the surface, an object submerged in a body of water, a bag of flexible gas-and-water-tight material sealed at one end, a tube of smaller cross section than the transverse cross section of said bag, means securing the open lower end of said bag gathered about the upper end of said tube, in gas-tight relation therewith, the open lower end of said tube depending from said bag, a weight secured to the lower end of said tube to hold said device upright when submerged and inflated, and a quantity of solid material within said bag, said material sublimating at normal sea water temperatures to thereby inflate said bag, said tube acting to equalize hydrostatic pressure within and without said bag 3. In a device for raising a body to the surface from a submerged position, a bag of flexible gasand watertight material having one end closed, an elongated rigid, open-end tube of water-proof material, means securing the other end of said bag in gas-tight relation about one end of said tube, the other end of said tube projecting outwardly of said bag, and a weighted sleeve secured to and about said other end of said tube, said sleeve, when said device is submerged, acting to maintain the same with said bag uppermost and said tube depending downwardly therefrom 4. That method of raising a hollow object to the surface of a body of water, from a position submerged therein,

by means of a plurality of bags of flexible fluid-tight surface of the water and inserting them into the object to be raised with the weighted ends of the tubes stil'l directed upwardly, releasing said bags within said object to permit each to invert under influence of its weighted tube, to a position with its tube directed downwardly, to confiine gasified carbon dioxide therewithin, as formed, while automatically equalizing the external hydrostatic pressure with the external pressure of gasified carbon dioxide through the open tube, and continuing insertion of bags into said object, as aforesaid, until the sum of the buoyancies of gas-filled bags in said object exceeds the submerged weight thereof References (Jited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 317,274 Amiro May 5, 1885 557,396 Kindt Mar. 31, 1896 923,801 Bargar June 8, 1909 2,313,215 Bierlee Mar. 9, 194-3 2,635,574 Sturtevant Apr. 21, 1953 2,642,693 Broady June 23, 1953 2,686,962 Swann Aug. 24, 1954 2,758,803 Winzen Aug. 14, 1956 2,865,583 Winker Dec. 23, 1958 2,918,030 Bagnall Dec. 22, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,823 Germany of 1878 

